Thermoplastic fuel tank having reduced fuel vapor emissions

摘要

The invention can comprise a thermoplastic fuel tank or container having a vapor barrier comprising a cyclodextrin composition. A modified cyclodextrin that is chemically modified with substituents that increase the compatibility of the cyclodextrin material in the fuel container material can be used. The improved fuel container obtains substantial barrier properties from the interaction between the cyclodextrin material in the fuel container materials with the fuel vapor permeant materials. The cyclodextrin in the fuel tank walls complexes or entraps fuel vapor that permeates through the materials making up the tank and are held within the tank material preventing the permeant fuel vapor from passing through the tank into the environment. The fuel vapor permeant can comprise a variety of well known materials including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygenates such as tertiary butyl methyl ether, ethanol, methanol, and other combustible liquid fuel materials.